Jay-Z Helping Coca-Cola

Jay-Z's push into the world of advertising and marketing continues, as the mogul's Rocawear company will help soft drink giant Coca-Cola relaunch its Cherry Coke line of soda.

According to industry trade publication Brand Week, Jay-Z will help design the can and the television commercials, in addition to appearing at the relaunch of the Cherry Coke brand on Feb. 7 during New York's Fashion Week.

Coca-Cola hopes the new union will be fruitful, as the Cherry Coke brand has relaunched three times since its debut in 1985, and has seen sales lag behind rivals' cherry cola products.

Jay-Z's can will feature a cityscape design, and a full marketing blitz for Internet, radio, TV and print will start early next month. A Jay-Z song will be featured as the commercial's soundtrack.

The rapper landed the deal with coke after an eight-minute video clip from Jay-Z's Radio City Music Hall started appearing on various Internet file trading sites.

"It's his new opportunity to expand his standing in the business world," Jameel Spencer, CMO, Rocawear told Brand Week. "Besides just recording, he's making TV commercials and campaigns for brands . . .who is better than Coke? They're the biggest…His role is helping brands not get it wrong the way McDonald's did with African Americans rapping about French fries… There's a reassurance that they won't appear like an out-of-touch uncle trying to act cool."

In related news, Jay-Z will appear in a new Superbowl XLI commercial with former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, promoting Bud Light.

The rapper, born Shawn Carter, has been co-brand director for Budweiser Select since Oct. 2006.

Jay-Z also recently announced a partnership with GM to produce "Jay-Z Blue," a custom color for the auto maker's Yukon Denali SUV.